When one works for a medical profession they have to sign a HIPPA form stating that they understand that patient information is a privacy to anyone other then the patient or to whom the patient gives permission to. To anyone that doesnt understand that it means, keep your mouth shut to everyone including family members. When conveyed wrong and out of context can cause great stress and unwarranted anxieties. Its a breach...Definition of Breach A breach is, generally, an impermissible use or disclosure under the Privacy Rule that compromises the security or privacy of the protected health information. An impermissible use or disclosure of protected health information is presumed to be a breach unless the covered entity or business associate, as applicable, demonstrates that there is a low probability that the protected health information has been compromised based on a risk assessment of at least the following factors: The nature and extent of the protected health information involved, including the types of identifiers and the likelihood of re-identification; The unauthorized person who used the protected health information or to whom the disclosure was made; Whether the protected health information was actually acquired or viewed; and The extent to which the risk to the protected health information has been mitigated. Covered entities and business associates, where applicable, have discretion to provide the required breach notifications following an impermissible use or disclosure without performing a risk assessment to determine the probability that the protected health information has been compromised. There are three exceptions to the definition of “breach.” The first exception applies to the unintentional acquisition, access, or use of protected health information by a workforce member or person acting under the authority of a covered entity or business associate, if such acquisition, access, or use was made in good faith and within the scope of authority. The second exception applies to the inadvertent disclosure of protected health information by a person authorized to access protected health information at a covered entity or business associate to another person authorized to access protected health information at the covered entity or business associate, or organized health care arrangement in which the covered entity participates. In both cases, the information cannot be further used or disclosed in a manner not permitted by the Privacy Rule. The final exception applies if the covered entity or business associate has a good faith belief that the unauthorized person to whom the impermissible disclosure was made, would not have been able to retain the information.
Posted on: Sat, 01 Nov 2014 13:21:54 +0000